Young families scatter to the suburbs; While some municipalities are much older than others, figures released Tuesday suggest their futures may not be set in stone
The Vancouver Sun
18 Jul 2007
By: Darah Hansen and Chad Skelton

In all her 13 years with the Learn and Play Children's Centre in Maple Ridge, Roseann Delesoy has never seen the childcare business so busy.

"We're full in all age [groups], especially with the school-age children, Grade 1 through Grade 7," she said of the centre, which offers childcare for children 30 months to 13 years old.

Currently, said Delesoy, … parents are looking at a six-month wait for a space for their child.

It's the same story all over the city.

"The new places that are opening up, they are getting just as full as we are. They are not having any problem getting registration, that's for sure," she said.

The demand for child care in Maple Ridge shouldn't be a surprise.

According to data from the 2006 census, more than one-fifth (20.3 per cent) of Maple Ridge residents are under the age of 15 -- the highest share of children in Greater Vancouver.

Surrey is second at 20.1 per cent, followed by Port Moody (20 per cent), Port Coquitlam (19.6 per cent) and Langley (19.4 per cent).

But while children are cramming the daycares in some parts of the region, they are few and far between in other municipalities.

For example, just 10.3 per cent of White Rock residents are children.

And just 12.8 per cent of Vancouver's population are kids.

The shift of children to the suburbs has caused school boards to struggle with how to respond. …

And over that same five-year period, White Rock saw its number of residents under age 15 jump 8.4 per cent -- the third-largest gain in children in the province.

Ramlo said the increase is likely due to new condo developments in the tiny city, which have made at least some housing affordable for young families.